


The endless dance

by Radiant_Shooketh



Series: Monarchs of the Nightmare Realm [7]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-01-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:20:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22370950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Radiant_Shooketh/pseuds/Radiant_Shooketh
Summary: Scarlet now all grown up, must continue on with tradition.
Relationships: Scarlet & Divine, Scarlet & Elderbug, Scarlet & Hornet
Series: Monarchs of the Nightmare Realm [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1596868
Kudos: 25





	The endless dance

**Author's Note:**

> "Dance and die and live forever,  
> Silent voices shout and sing,  
> Stand before the Troupe's dark heart,  
> Burn away the Nightmare King."  
> -The Grimm Troupe
> 
> AKA "Ah shit, here we go again."

“Ah, Troupe Master Grimm... What brings you here?” 

Scarlet took a reverent bow to the new queen of Hallownest. “Nothing much, your Highness. I’m just paying my respects.”

Scarlet turned her back to Hornet and stared at the statue of her caretaker with a certain longing in her scarlet eyes. Her right hand automatically went to her chest and she fiddled with the pin that was attached to her cape, a sort of habit she had developed whenever she was feeling sad and lonely. The pin was a sort of parting gift she had received years ago from her dad. 

This was one of her annual visits to Hallownest: to pay her respects at the monument of her caretaker where the Temple of the Black Egg used to stand. Visiting this old kingdom made her feel extremely lonely. A constant reminder that she was older now, and more alone than she had thought. A few years ago, her father’s flames had finally burnt out for good and were reabsorbed into the Heart, and he became one with It. It didn’t help that by visiting the memorial of the saviour of Hallownest, it reminded her that she had lost the 2 most important people in her life.

With her father gone, Scarlet was the new Nightmare King. In the mortal world, she was the new troupe master that would have to continue on with the tradition of collecting flames from dead kingdoms so that her future child grows up healthy.

“Did you know Little Ghost personally?” The queen asked her. Scarlet nodded her head without looking at Hornet, her eyes still glued to the statue.

“I did. Many years ago when my father visited Hallownest, they were my caretaker.” Scarlet didn’t have to explain that her dad was here for the Ritual. That was something the queen didn’t have to know and thankfully, she didn’t pry on the subject. 

The queen walked closer to the statue and stood next to the troupe master. “Little Ghost was my half sibling. Though I didn’t know them all that well, it feels that I had truly lost what family I had left. My mother died, and now both my half siblings are gone,” she said with sadness in her voice. 

“My father had died years ago,” Scarlet confessed to the queen. “And by visiting this memorial, it also serves as a reminder that they were also considered the only other family I had. I have my troupe, but that feeling isn’t the same. I’m just grateful for them taking care of me while my dad was busy.” She felt bad for saying that. Divine and Brumm had taken care of her ever since her father had passed and yet, that did not feel the same to her. Aside from her father, Little Ghost had looked after her. And like her father, they were gone. 

“What similar circumstances we find ourselves,” Hornet said with a sad chuckle. “I’m sorry for your losses, Master Grimm.” 

“You too,” Scarlet replied in a soft voice. The 2 of them stayed at the memorial in silence for a bit before Scarlet let out a small sigh. She had things to do. First things first, she had to find a fading kingdom for her troupe to settle. “Well, it’s always been a pleasure visiting Hallownest. But I’m afraid that I must be going now, your Highness. I bid you farewell…”

“Have a safe trip home, Master Grimm.” 

Scarlet bowed her head once more and disappeared in a puff of red smoke. She chuckled bitterly to herself. Home? She had a dead kingdom to find. Another reminder that her life would end eventually, just like her father’s. An endless dance that all troupe masters were stuck in. She walked towards the tent where the troupe was set up at, but not before the Elderbug greeted her, looking content and relaxed for once by her presence.

“Hello, Scarlet. My, you’ve grown big, haven’t you?” He sounded genuinely happy. It was true that she had grown. “I still remember when you were a small larva, flying by your caretaker’s side. Now look at you, all grown up! You’re so tall, young one.” 

Despite feeling depressed earlier, Scarlet managed a genuine smile. Elderbug was always one to cheer her up. “I’m not that young anymore,” she insisted.

“Bah, nonsense! You’ll always be Little Scarlet to me. Anyway, how have you been?” He asked her. 

“Things have been quite strange,” she admitted. “Feels lonely, now that my father… Well…” She trailed off. 

Elderbug nodded his head solemnly. It was only quite recently when he started feeling comfortable around the old troupe master. “That’s just the way of life, Scarlet. But you’re a splitting image of him,” he said contently.

Scarlet chuckled. She wasn’t about to explain that basically all troupe masters looked the same when they are adults, no matter what. 

“I miss him,” she said while fiddling with the pin on her cape again. 

“You’ll get used to it, I suppose.” Elderbug tried to console. “Death is just a part of life, young one.” 

“Indeed. Anyway, I must be going now. It is always nice to see you,” Scarlet said while waving goodbye at him.

“Come back anytime, Scarlet!” He called back, also waving at her.

Scarlet chuckled bitterly. If only… 

She walked back to the tent and was greeted by everyone. Divine, Brumm, and the Grimmkins. They all flocked around her excitedly.

“Welcome back, Master!” Divine chirped. Beside her, Brumm nodded his head in acknowledgement as he continued to play on his accordion. Classic Brumm. Some of the Grimmkins danced around her. 

“Any signs of a Lantern that’s been lit?” Scarlet asked the excited crowd. 

“Not yet, Master Grimm.”

Scarlet remained silent for a bit, pondering. “If that’s the case, we make our return to the Nightmare Realm and wait until a Lantern has been lit.” 

Everyone got to work. The Grimmsteeds transported the tents and soon they traveled through from the mortal world to the world of dreams, across dimensions until they made it back home at the palace.  The troupe noticed how quiet Scarlet had been throughout the entire trip. Usually, she was buzzing with excitement and had lots to say to everyone in the troupe. She was even more energetic when she was a child. Now, she seemed so… sombre, and introverted. Divine and Brumm had especially noticed this. 

Once the troupe settled into the palace, Divine and Brumm approached her. “Your Majesty, are you alright? You were rather quiet throughout the whole trip.”

“I’m fine,” Scarlet said, smiling tiredly. Though she was young, Divine and Brumm remarked how old and tired she looked. That wasn’t right for someone her age. Even her father had more spunk and energy to him back in the day. They watched as Scarlet walked away.

“Wait, where are you going?” Divine called.

“To my room.”

Divine and Brumm shared a look. 

“She’s usually more cheerful,” Divine said to Brumm. He nodded in agreement. 

“Mrmm, it probably doesn’t help that today is the death anniversary of both the old troupe master and her caretaker.”

Divine sighed. “Ah, quite right. She’ll get over it, won’t she?”

“...eventually.”

Scarlet entered her room and collapsed onto her bed, feeling all sorts of exhausted. She couldn’t deal with anyone right now. She had to be alone. A wave of depression and loneliness crashed onto her and hit her quite hard. Scarlet missed her dad, and her beloved caretaker. Why did the world have to take those 2 away from her? The 2 people whom she truly loved and cared about. 

_ Death is just a part of life, young one. _

She remembered Elderbug’s words as she wiped her tears away. No, she had no time to cry over this. He was right, death is just part of the cycle of life. Everyone experiences death eventually. She had no time to cry over this, she was the Nightmare King! Scarlet had to set an example to her troupe. They were the embodiment of nightmares, people’s deepest and darkest fears. Kings don’t cry! 

...right?

All her predecessors got through it, so that means that Scarlet could too. She mad to make them all proud. Though she feels like she could never live up to her father’s name and legacy in the eyes of the troupe, she had to at least make an impression for herself. Something the troupe will remember her by, when the time is right and when she is gone from this world and one with the Heart. She smiled, already hearing her father’s words.

“Oh sweetie, you’re so hard on yourself sometimes.” He would say. “I’ll always be proud of you, no matter what you do.” 

He did speak the truth about herself, though. Scarlet was always quite hard on herself sometimes. She sighed, laying flat on her back as she stared up at the ceiling. She really missed her father very much, and him not being no longer there with her left a sort of aching void in her heart. It hurt very much, but she knew that it was just part of life.

There was a soft knock on her door.

“Your Majesty?”

Scarlet wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. “Yes, come in.”

Divine didn’t really enter the room but stuck her head in. “Your Majesty, a Lantern has been lit.”

“Let’s make haste to this kingdom then, shall we?” Scarlet said. She straightened her body a bit more and her scarlet eyes shimmered. So, a Lantern has finally been lit. They had been waiting for quite a while. 

“Right away!” Divine said happily. “I’ll go inform everyone and we’ll be travelling shortly.” 

The troupe were busy buzzing about, setting up the tents and making final preparations for the trip. According to where the acolyte had placed the Lantern, it had been lit to a kingdom far from Hallownest. Almost on the other side of the world, in fact. The troupe didn’t dally any longer and soon they were travelling between worlds and dimensions to reach this kingdom.

This kingdom was in fact, located in a desert. Perfect, as the troupe had no problem when dealing with heat. This climate would be the perfect place for the Ritual to take place. Scarlet could practically smell the decay in the hot winds of the kingdom. How this place had met its doom, was a complete mystery. Upon arriving at the kingdom and choosing a small town to settle in, Scarlet got to work with creating her child. Passed down by the memories of her father, she conjured up a firebat and shaped it so that it forms itself into an actual larva.  The transformation was complete and in her hands laid the small creature, with its tiny body and new wings barely formed. It slept soundly, occasionally mewling and making adorable sounds. Scarlet showed the troupe, and everyone cheered. Divine had once again remarked that it was in fact, another girl.

“What are you gonna name her, Master?” She had asked.

There was no hesitation in her response. “Kaydence.” 

The Ritual will forever continue, like an endless dance.

**Author's Note:**

> I think I'll be ending the series here. It was quite fun! Stay tuned for more one shots from me. Thank you all for reading.


End file.
